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This item sold on August 12, 2012.

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This quotation is embedded in the core of the temari. Each temari is one of a kind.$25 from this sale will be loaned through Kiva.org.Free Priority Mail shipping in the United States.

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Temari are handmade thread-wrapped and embroidered spheres that were first created as toys for children; they originated in China and were later brought to Japan — possibly by Buddhist monks. Over time temari have evolved into a highly-prized, exquisite form of folk art.

Temari are symbols of deep friendship and loyalty, cherished as gifts for auspicious occasions — birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, the new year and other new beginnings; they're meaningful gifts for for any occasion, or "just because." Imbued with the spirit of the careful hand of the maker, they are wonderful as a source of inspiration or an object for meditation & contemplation.

$25 from this purchase will be loaned to an individual or group through Kiva.org, a non-profit organization that connects people around the world and facilitates micro-finance lending to help alleviate poverty and give low-income individuals and groups the opportunity to create their own livelihoods.

This "I Shut My Eyes in Order to See" temari has a thread wrap in medium silver gray, with embroidery in matching gray, light yellow, and very light green. It features layered stars of kiku herringbone and a variation, ribbed kiku herringbone, at top and bottom. The quote above by Paul Gauguin is handwritten and embedded in the core, along with 23 small brass rings that make a lovely subtle rattle when the temari is gently shaken. You will receive the exact temari pictured: all Kumo Temari are one of a kind.

Diameter: just 3.25 inches / 8.25 cm; weight: approximately 3 ounces.FREE SHIPPING in the United States via USPS Priority MailShipped internationally via USPS International First Class Mail• Please note that I send packages within 1 to 3 business days.• For any international purchase if you are over-charged for shipping & handling, the overage will be refunded to you via PayPal after the actual shipping rate is determined.

Please see the Shop Policies page for information regarding:• temari history, tradition, and construction• what's unique about Kumo Temari, and the use of quotations in them• loaning through Kiva.org• my history on Etsy• payment, shipping, gift shipping, expedited shipping, returns, new temari notification & morewww.etsy.com/shop/KumoTemari/policy

Praise for Kumo Temari:• "I now own a small collection of [Kumo] temari and each one is so different and so beautiful. These are so lovely to look at, to hold, to admire."• "Really, really beautiful. It arrived today and I can't stop picking it up and admiring it. Truly a work of art. I love it."• "Knowing there is a center within which is written such a powerful quotation is at once both calming and inspiring. That it is encompassed in such an extraordinarily beautiful design, all worked by hand, leaves me humble and in awe."

To see more photos of and learn more about this specific temari please see this blog post: http://kumotemari.blogspot.com/2012/04/i-shut-my-eyes-in-order-to-see.html